August 14, 2008

Libya, USA Sign Compensation Agreement

The Great Jamahiriyah and the United States of America this afternoon in Tripoli signed an agreement regarding the settlement of legal proceedings and civil actions from both sides for past damages.

The agreement was signed from the Libyan side by secretary of the two Americas affairs at the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation, and from the American side US Assistant Secretary of State David Welch. The signing ceremony was attended by the secretaries of European and Arab affairs at the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation and the negotiation teams of both countries.

The ceremony was also attended by heads of the African, Arab, Asian and European diplomatic circles, charge d'affaires of the United States Embassy in the Great Jamahiriyah, as well as a number of correspondents of Libyan and foreign media.

The secretary of the two Americas affairs at the General People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation said this agreement had opened new horizons for Libyan-American relations, based on mutual respect, and serious and productive cooperation, which will result in progress and prosperity for both countries and their peoples. In his statement after the signing, he said what had been achieved by this agreement crowned the great efforts and the many meetings, which followed direct negotiations and which enabled each side to listen to the other, exchange views and hold clear and frank discussions, which served the seriousness in turning over a new leaf, and affirms the desire to strengthen stability and security in the region and the world.

In his statement, the brother secretary stressed the Great Jamahiriyah's aspiration to establish equal relations between people and nations, built on the principal of mutual respect and equality, adding that "this is the aim of the Libyan people, who base the establishment of international relations and friendships on the basis that lasting relations are those between people, not governments."

US Assistant Secretary of State, on his part, stressed that this agreement would open a new page in the bilateral relations between the United States and the Great Jamahiriyah. In his statement which followed the signing of the agreement, he said "the agreement signed by the two countries today was a historic agreement, because it cleared the last problems facing our relations in various fields." The American official added: "This agreement will enable the United States and the Great Jamahiriyah to go forward with strengthening their relations, which is a very important matter for both sides."

The Assistant Secretary of State also pointed to his meeting yesterday with the brother leader saying: "Yesterday, I met the brother leader and handed him a letter from President Bush and expressed to him the good wishes of the American people and President Bush," adding: "It is an important day to strengthen US- Libyan bilateral relations in various fields and on strong foundations, for the benefit of both Libyan and American people."

A joint Libyan-US statement was issued today in Tripoli on the signing of this agreement. The following is the text of the statement:

The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah and the United States of America have reached a comprehensive agreement to settle legal proceedings in Tripoli on 14 August. Both sides welcome the establishment of a path which provides a fair compensation to their peoples and therefore they both direct their focus on the future of bilateral relations and stress the benefits which will be provided by the improvement of relations between the two countries, to the Libyan and American people.